HCC §4-3-4

Cruelty to animals: giving away or abandoning pets

Read the official text at hawaiicounty.gov ↗

This law makes it a crime to give away an animal as a prize or to abandon any animal. A person must do this knowingly or recklessly to be guilty. Each violation can be fined up to $500.

everyone

The ordinance, as written (Hawaiʻi County) — Cruelty to animals, including dogs and cats

A copy, taken August 21, 2026. The version published by Hawaiʻi County is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.

A person commits the offense of cruelty to animals, dogs and cats if the person knowingly or recklessly: (1) Gives away an animal, dog or cat, or animals, dogs or cats, as a prize or prizes; (2) Abandons any animal, dog or cat. There shall be a penalty of not more than $500 for each violation of this section.

Read the official text at hawaiicounty.gov ↗as published Jul 16, 2026our copy taken Aug 21, 2026

Published by the County of Hawaiʻi Office of the County Clerk.

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.